FDA Updated list of recalled foods

My Pet...Naturally
We have received many phone calls, emails and inquiries about the pet food recall from Menu Foods. Here is some information that may help to answer questions and encourage you to feed your pet natural food if you are not already.

No Brands Sold by My Pet...Naturally Are Affected

My Pet...Naturally does not carry any of the products that were recalled by Menu Foods. If you have purchased your pet's food from us, there is no cause for concern over the recall. If you purchased food elsewhere and think you may be affected, please read the following section "How to Know and What to Do If You Are Affected." If you were not affected, but are not feeding a natural food to your pet, please find out "Why You Should Feed Natural Food to Your Pet" at the bottom of the page. Brands such as Iams, Eukanuba, and Science Diet were affected by the recall - although many people mistakenly think these are "premium" brands, they are NOT natural, as evidenced by their inclusion in this recall. The pet food was sold throughout North America under both store and major brand labels at Wal-Mart, Kroger, Safeway and other large retailers.

How to Know and What to Do If You Are Affected
You can find out if the food you have fed your dog or cat was part of the recall by visiting www.menufoods.com/recall. Contaminated Wheat Gluten is currently the top suspect in the Menu Foods recall.

Wheat Gluten: Wheat Gluten is sometimes used in lower quality moist pet foods (cans & pouches) as an inexpensive protein source and gravy thickener. If you have ever ventured down the aisle of the grocery store where the meat substitutes are sold, then you may have seen Seitan in the refrigerated section – this is wheat gluten. It has a texture similar to cooked chicken meat. It is NOT a good source of protein for dogs and cats. Dogs and cats are carnivores and utilize proteins from animal sources much more efficiently than grain sources. Cats, especially, do not digest grains well. The digestion of grains creates more waste products for the animal's system to process than it is naturally accustomed to, placing a constant stress on the organ systems.

Kidney (Renal) Failure: The kidneys function is to filter out and excrete toxins from the body through the urine. One of the first signs of kidney failure is an increase in thirst and urination. This is why: A healthy kidney can concentrate toxins into a smaller amount of liquid to be urinated away. When the kidneys are damaged and become less able to concentrate the urine, more fluid is used by the body. In many cases, kidney failure can be successfully treated if caught quickly. If you wait too long, the damage may be extensive, and potentially irreversible.
The tainted pet foods are causing kidney failure in dogs and cats. Signs of kidney failure include:
* Increased water consumption
* Increased urination
* Nausea & vomiting
* Weight loss
* Constipation
* Lethargy / low energy
* Loss of appetite
* Fatigue

Diagnosis: Most animals do not show signs of kidney failure until about 70% - 75% of kidney function has been lost. In order to diagnose kidney failure and determine the extent of the disease, a blood test and urinalysis is needed. Always contact your veterinarian promptly if your animal shows signs of illness.

If you have fed your dog or cat any of the recalled foods, it is wise to have them tested. If the test results come back without signs of kidney failure and you are still concerned, we recommend using a detoxifier such as Newton Homeopathics Detoxifier Newton Homeopathic Detoxifier or Animal Apawthecary.

Why You Should Feed Natural Food to Your Pet
Feeding a very high quality food is the best thing you can do for your dog or cat's health. You should look for a meat-based food with no grains (for cats) or whole grains (for dogs), but without grain by-products such as wheat gluten. Grain by-products are inexpensive fillers and inferior sources of nutrition. They may make the food less expensive, but in the case of pet foods, you truly get what you pay for.

There are many companies who manufacture natural, organic and/or holistic pet food. These companies use human grade whole meats as well as fruits, vegetables, probiotics, and natural preservatives. As these foods are of premium quality and provide proper nutrition, pets are healthy. Pets usually eat less since they are able to digest more. Their stools are generally smaller with less odor.

My Pet...Naturally offers a wide selection of all the leading natural foods for dogs and cats. We encourage you to look at the ingredients, where you will usually find meat (and non-meat byproducts) as the top ingredient, along with whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and other natural ingredients. This is the type of food that your pet will thrive on. Visit us at My Pet...Naturally.